Cashman: Snow help for seniors at Raymond's Bowl

Joe Policky started to get concerned while rolling some practice balls before the start of league bowling recently at Raymond’s Bowl in Johnsburg.

It was snowing outside. Really snowing. “It must have been coming down one or two inches an hour,” said Policky, president of the 55-and-over Leisure Village Bowling League.

Every Tuesday, a group of about 50 Leisure Village residents from Fox Lake bowls at Raymond’s Bowl, 3960 N Johnsburg Road. They get there around noon and bowl from about 1 to 4.

“When we come in they always have a big pot of coffee ready for us.” Policky said. “They’re very cordial, very nice. They treat eveybody really well.”

On Feb. 26, about five to six inches of snow came down while the Leisure Village bowlers were inside the bowling and enertainment center.

“Everybody was talking about the problems getting home,” Policky said. “I made an announcement to assure the seniors we would double up for those who didn’t want do drive so they wouldn’t have to worry,” said Policky, 78, former Hainesville police chief.

“It was really hazardous.”

When they were done bowling, the group decided to all walk out to the parking lot together. When they got out the door, they saw something unexpected.

The employees and owners of Raymond’s Bowl had swept the snow off all the seniors’ cars, had plowed a path for the seniors to get to their cars, cleared the lot and then personally escorted all the ladies to the cars so they could get home safely.

They even drove a couple cars to the door for the customers.

“They went out and dug out everybody’s cars, swept them off,” said Raymond’s employee Walter Pekovitch. “Steve always does that for the seniors,” he said of co-owner Steve Kuna. “You don’t want to see anybody get hurt in the parking lot. They were determined to get home,” Pekovitch said.

“We teamed up with them to get them out,” said Scott Michels, a mechanic at Raymond’s Bowl. “We were out shoveling and walking them out. Some we drove their cars up from them,” he said. “They were really appreciative and surprised,”

Some people left their cars at Raymond’s and rode home with other Leisure Village bowlers. “Steve said they could leave the cars in the parking lot. He said they’d make sure the cars were OK overnight. Don’t worry about it,” Policky said.

There was another snowstorm last Tuesday, but it was an earlier start than the week before. “We couldn’t get there last Tuesday,” Policky said. “We had to cancel.”